Harp.



PATENTED MAR. 10', 1903'.

W. MOERSGHER.

HARP;

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6. 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

I0 MODEL.

ZZz'am Moerscher No. 722,602. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1903. W. MOERSGHER. HARP.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM MOERSCHER, OF BELVIDERE, NEW JERSEY.

HARP.

SPECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,602, dated March 10, 1903.

Application filed July 5,1902. Serial No. 114,509. (No model.)

To (LZZ- whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MoERsoHER, residing at Belvidere, in the county of Warren and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Harp, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is in the nature of an improved stringed musical instrument similar construction of string-supporting frame and a cooperative arrangement therewith of a sounding-board, a sound-damper, and a supplemental foot-controlled member or damper for regulating the tone effect; and in its more subordinate features it consists in certain novel details of construction and combination of parts, all of which will hereinafter be fully described, and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, showing the left pedal mechanism,parts being omitted to the more clearly illustrate the same. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the string-frame. Fig. 4 is a detail View illustrating the stringframe mounted on the main frame or pedestal. Fig. 5 is a detail View illustrating the stringframe and the centrally-disposed soundingboard mounted on the pedestal. Fig. 6 illustrates the manner of adjusting the stringbearings and pins on the string-frame. Fig. 6 is a detail cross-section thereof, taken on the line a a of Fig. 6. Figs. 7, 7, and 7 illustrate, respectively, the diatonic scale, the chromatic intervals, and the chromatic scale. Fig. 8 is a detail view illustrating the arrangement of one of the outer soundingboards. Fig. 9 is a detail view of the pedestal, the string-frame, and the pedal-string sounddamper operated by the right foot pedal. Figs. 9 and 9 are detail cross sections taken, respectively, Fig. 9.

on the lines a a and b b of In the practical construction myimproved harp comprises a pedestal or main supportin g-frame, hereinafter again referred to, upon which is mounted a string-frame 1, of triangular shape, made of good hard maple of three or four layers, according to the size of the instrument, and firmly glued or otherwisejoined together in any approved manner.

On the left side the members 1 1 of the string-frame 1 have each fitted thereon at a point about one-fourth of an inch from the inner edge a stout brass Wire 2 2 (See Figs. 6, 6*, by reference to which it will be noticed the said wires 2 2, form the string rests or ledges, and from said wires project outwardly the steel pins 3, which are disposed about three-eighths of an inch apart and which are arranged to provide for properly positioning the wires for parallel stringing in a manner similar to the stringing of the ordinary zither.)

Suitably disposed below the string-ledge or wire 2 on the frame member 1 are steel pins 4, to which the lower ends of the strings are made fast, and at a suitable point above the wire-rest 2 on the upper frame-piece l the tuning-pins 5 are fitted, with which the wires engage in any approved manner, zither tuning-pins being preferably employed.

In Figs. 7, '7, and 7 is diagrammatically represented the manner of stringing the wires on the frame 1. They are chromatically arranged, and in the completed instrument an octave of wires is disposed in every five inches of space, and to provide for making the position on the instrument easy and quickly discernable the natural sound-wires are silverplated and the sharps and flats are distinguished therefrom by using copper strings, whereby to give the entire series of strings the appearance of the usual black and white keyboard on the piano.

The string-frame 1 is adjusted to the pedestal or main frame in the manner best shown in Fig 4, from which it will be noticed the pedestal includes a front frame e and a back frame d, separated from each other and braced by a base member F, having foot portions 9. Said members c and d are further braced by the side portions 10 p, which in practice may have a suitable ornamental exterior.

The upper ends of the members (1 and e diverge to produce seat portions d e, the former to receive the front edge of the lower member 1 of the frame 1 and the latter to receive the lower edge of the member 1* of the said frame, and to further brace the frame 1 and to also add ornamentation to the front edge of the said frame 1 the forward edge thereof is fitted in the turn-post c, of suitable ornamental shape, as shown in Fig. 1.

The string-frame is made fast to the portions d e of the pedestal in any approved manner, and the said frame is further braced and held secure on the said pedestal by the sound-boards L, which have a triangular shape and have the bottom edge 1" supported upon the upper edge of the side portions pp and the inner or vertically-extending edge 1 held to abut the supplemental side portions 19 p, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and the said boards L lie against the opposite sides of the lower portions of the string-frame and incase the lower section of the string-body, as shown.

it designates a middle sounding-board fastened on the center of the string-frame and mounted in the lower or crotch portion thereof, and the said board it, as also the outer sounding-boards, is tapered from the lower to the upper end to provide for the proper differential changing of the soundingboard area relatively to the stringing from the low base to the high treble end. The board It in practice is made of spruce wood and is so fitted-in place that the grain thereof will run parallel with the strings.

By referring now more particularly to Figs. 9, 9, and 9 it will be noticed a damper 7 is arranged adjacent the middle sounding-board h, and the same consists of a strip of hard wood of suitable width and tapered at the upper end and lined with a strip of medium hard felt. The damper 7 is normally held about one-eighth of an inch from the string by means of a bent spring 5, (see Fig. 9%) made fast to the upper edge of the stringframe member 1 and having a screw connection 6 with the outer face of the Wood member of damper 7, and the tension of the spring member 5 is such as to hold the damper normally away from the strings, as shown. A number of the springs 5 are connected with the damper 7 to properly sustain it at its normal position, and the said damper 7 is movable against the strings by a pedalactuating means, in which is included a pedal located at the foot of the pedestal, which joins by a series of flexible connections 13 13 with the crank ends 11 of a series of levers 10, fulcrumed upon the lower string-frame member, disposed transversely of the same, and provided with upwardly-curved portions 10, adapted to engage with the rear face of the damper 7. (See Fig. 9 The several parts just described are correlatively arranged, whereby pressure upon the pedal let will rock the levers 10 and force the damper 7 over against the strings, it being understood that so soon as the pressure on the pedal 14 is removed the springs 5 return the damper 7 to its normal position.

By constructing the several parts as described a sound-space is produced in the center of the pedestal below the lower or apex end of the frame 1, and this space is divided into an upper section :20, just below the frame 1, and a lower section y. The two sections m y are normally closed from each other by a partition, which includes a stationary member 20 at one edge suitably apertured for the free passage of the connections which join the right foot or damper pedal 14 with the operating devices for the damper 7, and a hinged valve or damper 7c, normally held closed by a spring or other automatic closureacting means, a spring 15 being shown under the pedal 15, and the latter joins through the pivoted and linked members 16 17 with a pull-rod 18, connected with the hinged valve or damper piece 70.

When the damper it is closed, the string sounds or vibrations are kept out of the hollow or bottom part of the pedestal and a mellow and rich tone is produced. When, however, the said valve 7c is opened by a proper manipulation of the left foot-pedal 15, the sound waves or vibrations will be carried through the whole instrument by reason of its then being open both at the top and bottom, and the tone will then be changed to a more clear, loud, and sharp nature. The use of the pedal 15 does not affect the vibrating sounds of the instrument further than to increase the clearness and sharpness of tone.

By providing a middle andouter soundingboard arranged as shown and described resonance as long and of the quality of the piano can be produced thereby, the only difierence between the two being that those of the piano are stronger at the strike.

My improved harp can be readily used as a solo instrument for playing piano or harp music and is especially well adapted for song accompaniment and for use in connection with mandolins, banjos, and zithers. The damper 7 adds to the value of the instrument, for the reason that the same can be conveniently used for cutting off a chord to prevent different chords from sounding together and creating a discord.

The instrument can be readily made in different range of scale from three to seven octaves, and by reason of its simple combination of parts can be economically manufactured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patout, is-

1. A musical instrument of the character stated, comprising a pedestal, a string-carrying frame supported edgewise thereon, a sounding-board on each side of the said pedestal and extending over the lower portion of the stringed frame, for the purposes specified.

2. A musical instrument of the character stated,comprising a pedestal having a V-bearing in its upper end, a triangular-shaped string-carrying frame edgewise supported on said bearing, and a sounding-board mounted on the pedestal at each side of the string-carrying frame and extended over a portion of the lower end of the said frame, as specified.

3. In a musical instrument as described, the combination with the supporting-pedestal, the string-carrying frame, and the sounding-boards mounted on the pedestal one at each side of the string-frame; of a supplemental sounding-board mountedon the stringframe adjacent the wires and in a plane parallel with the outer sounding-boards, as specified.

4. In a musical instrument as described, a hollow pedestal, a string-carrying frame supported edgewise on the upper end of the pedestal, and having its lower end projected into the hollow of the said pedestal, as set forth.

5. In a musical instrument as described, a hollow pedestal, a stringcarrying frame mounted edgewise thereon, a sounding-board supported upon the pedestal at each side of the lower end of the string-carrying frame, said lower end of the frame extending into the hollow of the pedestal, and a foot-controlled valve within the pedestal for closing off the sound-vibrations through the lower part of the pedestal, for the purposes specitied.

6. In a musical instrument as described, a pedestal, a string-carrying frame mounted edgewise thereon, and sound-boards held to cooperate with the said frame; of a damper mounted on the string-carrying frame, means for normally holding the said damper from contact with the sound-producing strings,and a pedal-operated means for shifting the said damper into engagement with the strings, as set forth.

7. In a musical instrument as described, a pedestal having a V-shaped bearing in its upper edge, and a triangular-shaped stringcarrying frame edgewise mounted upon the pedestal, and the sound producing wires strung on one side of the frame; of a damper supported on the upper face of the bottom member of the string-holding frame, and automatically held adjacent to and out of contact with the strings, a pedal-operated means for shifting the damper into engagement with the strings, and a sounding-board disposed on each side of and over the damper-engaged portion of the strings, as shown and described.

8. The combination with the pedestal, having a V-bearing in its upper edge, a sounding-board at each side of the said bearing, a triangular-shaped string-carrying frame mounted edgewise in the said bearing, and a sounding-board mounted in the base-crotch of the triangular frame and extended in a plane parallel with the outer sounding-boards.

9. As a new article, a harp, comprising a hollow pedestal, a string-frame, upon which the strings are chromatically arranged, said frame being disposed edgewise upon the upper end of the pedestal, a sounding-board on each side of the pedestal and extended over the lower end of the string-frame and the strings, a third sounding-board disposed parallel with and between the outer soundingboards, a foot-operated means for closing 01f WILLIAM MOERSOHER. Witnesses:

NICHOLAS HARRIS, HARRY W. WILLIAMS. 

